The present invention relates generally to call centers, and more particularly, to call handling systems for use in call centers.
Among other things, a call center may be used to place outgoing calls to parties from whom a predetermined response is desired. The desired response can be, for example, an answer to a question or the purchase of a product or service. When the outgoing call is answered, a call classifier unit is commonly used at the call center to determine whether a person (i.e., a live party) has answered the call or whether a machine (e.g., a telephone answering machine or fax machine, etc.) has answered the call. If the call classifier determines that a live party has answered the call, control of the call is switched to a live agent at the call center who handles the remainder of the call. If the call classifier determines that the call was not handled by a live party, the call is terminated or alternative action is taken.
To make its determination, the call classifier unit usually processes the first few seconds of audible signals received over the telephone line after the call has been answered. For example, a person answering a telephone may say xe2x80x9chello, this is Norm speakingxe2x80x9d into the receiver. The call classifier will process the xe2x80x9chello, this is Norm speakingxe2x80x9d signal. Assuming the call classifier properly determines that a live party has answered the call, control of the call is then switched to a live operator. Unfortunately, due to the call classification process, the first few seconds of the live party""s voice will be lost before the call is connected. Some of this lost information may be extremely useful (e.g., that the agent is talking to xe2x80x9cNormxe2x80x9d). In addition, the loss of such information may cause confusion and aggravation since re-introductions may be required. As can be appreciated, this can degrade overall call center performance.
In addition, because the first few seconds of a live party""s voice (and hence the information contained therein) are lost during the call classification process, call classifiers are given a short period of time to determine whether a live party has answered the call. Because of this, not surprisingly, call classifiers may not reach the correct conclusion.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus that will enhance call center performance by providing call center agents with voice samples of a called party that are used during the call classification process. In addition, there is a need for a method and apparatus which will allow call classifiers additional time to determine whether a live party has answered a call, without losing the information included within the voice samples used to make such determination.
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus that is capable of increasing outgoing call success rates in a call center. The method an apparatus stores audible signals received during a call (e.g., a called party""s voice samples) while a call classifier processes such audible signals. If the call classifier determines that a live party has been reached, control of the call is switched to an agent and the stored voice samples are played to the agent at an accelerated rate, so that information provided by the called party during the call classification process is provided to the agent (i.e., it is not lost).